The present invention relates to an electrical connecting apparatus used in an electrical test of a semiconductor device such as a semiconductor IC chip or a semiconductor wafer on which the semiconductor IC chips are collectively incorporated and a method for manufacturing the same.
In the electrical test of this kind, a probe sheet comprising a probe sheet main body having flexible electrical insulating synthetic resin films and conductive paths supported by the synthetic resin films and a plurality of probes (contactors) formed to be protruded from one surface of the probe sheet main body and connected to the conductive paths is used between a tester main body and a device under test in general (e.g., refer to Patent Document 1).
Each probe of the probe sheet is connected to an electrical circuit of the tester main body via the conductive path of the probe sheet main body. Also, the probe sheet is applied to the device under test so that the probe tip of each probe contacts a corresponding electrode of the device under test. By the electrical contact with use of the probe sheet, the device under test is connected to the tester main body.
As an example of each of the plurality of probes provided on the probe sheet, a so-called micro cantilever probe of a cantilever type is raised (e.g., refer to Patent Documents 2 to 4). This probe comprises a base portion supported on the probe sheet main body and an arm portion extending in a lateral direction from the lower end of the base portion with a space from the probe sheet, and at the tip end of the arm portion is formed a probe tip portion protruded in a direction distanced from the probe sheet main body.
In the probe sheet using this micro cantilever probe, when the probe tip of the probe tip portion formed at its tip end is thrust on the corresponding electrode with a predetermined overdriving force, a moment force acts on the arm portion of the probe. This moment force is stronger at a point more distanced from the probe tip portion in a range from the probe tip portion as an acting point to the base portion as a supporting point of the arm portion. Thus, the strongest stress acts on a coupling portion that is a transition point from the arm portion to the base portion continued from it.
Meanwhile, to manufacture such a probe sheet, which corresponds to a micro array pitch of the electrodes of the device under test on which the tip ends (probe tips) of the probe tip portions of the respective probes are thrust, a photolithographic technique is utilized. Specifically, probe materials are deposited sequentially in an order from a material for the probe tips to a material for the base portions of the plurality of probes per probe sheet, thus to form the plurality of probes integrally. Subsequent to the formation of the plurality of probes, the probe sheet main body to which these probes are connected is formed integrally with the probes.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Appln. Public Disclosure No. 2002-340932
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Appln. Public Disclosure No. 2003-43064
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Appln. Public Disclosure No. 2003-227849
[Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Appln. Public Disclosure No. 2002-509604